What Jesus Could Have Done, What He Did

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”—John 1: 1-5 (NKJV)

“Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from Me, nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done.” –Luke 22:42. (NKJV)

‘Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.’ “ – John 17:1-5 (NKJV).

The very Son of God that spoke a word and the whole creation was formed took on human flesh and came to earth. Can I comprehend the magnitude of this truth?

Jesus could have avoided all the suffering of the last week of His life, the humiliation, the shame. What Jesus could have done was to “mount the wings of the morning” and return to His former position, glory and majesty in heaven. He did not have to endure the agony of the cross, the indignities it brought. What He could have done was not to enter the realm of finite time and be subject to limitations of flesh and blood. What He could have done was to avoid death.

Can we possibly know the extent of the Word’s power? The love that motivated Him to provide the sacrifice necessary to restore man to fellowship with God?

“Be still and know that I am God. It is He that has made us, and not we, ourselves. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Jesus could have chosen the easy way. He could have remained in His former glory. But “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” And in Him we see “the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

“I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” Jesus uttered these words in that pathos-filled prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He spoke the words in the past tense, as if the terrible suffering and death were completed, not yet to be borne in His flesh. Jesus’s purpose would be fulfilled. Let us think of what Jesus could have done—and what He did! Let His love, sacrifice, purpose and power permeate your thoughts. He glorified the Father—and us! Praise be to God!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, March 20, 2010